


Human Copy

by DagReaper (TyJaxReaper)



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Dopplegangers, Family, Family Issues, First Meetings, Grizzly Rage, Maybe - Freeform, Random Encounters, Randomness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-02-04
Packaged: 2018-05-12 01:44:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 13,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5649127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TyJaxReaper/pseuds/DagReaper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“This can’t be real,” the wolf heard him mutter quietly, more to himself than anyone else and he just rolled his eyes and continued gauzing up the guys arm, being careful so he wouldn’t hurt him, and then he just as carefully started wrapping bandage around his bicep, where the injury was.</p><p>“Lost count on how many times I’ve said those exact words. You learn to live with it,” he said, speaking in general, to everything or anything. </p><p>“You can’t say that this isn’t freaking you out,” he looked up at him, hesitant and almost scared.</p><p>“I didn’t say it wasn’t, but I don’t think I’m as freaked out as you are right now,” he moved to stand, dusting himself off before he reached out a hand, the other reaching out to grip his palm. “I’m used to seeing weird things, this just adds to the list,”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chance Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know, I just watched a few clips on a movie Tyler Hoechlin was in a few years back and this came out of nowhere. I just started writing and this became a thing.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “This can’t be real,” the wolf heard him mutter quietly, more to himself than anyone else and he just rolled his eyes and continued gauzing up the guys arm, being careful so he wouldn’t hurt him, and then he just as carefully started wrapping bandage around his bicep, where the injury was.
> 
> “Lost count on how many times I’ve said those exact words. You learn to live with it,” he said, speaking in general, to everything or anything. Truth be told, he didn’t know if he was talking about the reason he was covered in blood and hurt, or the fact that he was sitting in front of a very realistic copy. Though, it was more than likely the latter.
> 
> “You can’t say that this isn’t freaking you out,” he looked up at him, hesitant and almost scared.
> 
> “I didn’t say it wasn’t, but I don’t think I’m as freaked out as you are right now,” he moved to stand, dusting himself off before he reached out a hand, the other reaching out to grip his palm. “I’m used to seeing weird things, this just adds to the list,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I watched a few clips and decided 'what the hell, let's make a Teen Wolf/Grizzly Rage crossover' xD

Saranoc Grotto, a forest area that was restricted and heavily marked with signs of ‘No Trespassing’. He and Braeden were very lucky that she was so highly respected and even had passes for places like this. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been able to kill the Wendigo that already took the lives of trespassers. They all ended up dead because they passed the line into the forest. The signs were put there for the animals, like the bears and big cats, or that was what they said, when really, they put them up for the numerous Wendigos that lurked around.

Braeden and Derek took out all of them. They weren’t the pack type, so they were all spread out around the forest. They killed them, one by one. And it took days, maybe a few weeks. They killed the last one not that long ago and was headed back when Derek caught a scent, a few scents actually.

“Stop the car,” the car was a big, six seater, tanker truck with a thin walkway down to the back of the truck.

He furrowed his brow and opened the door when it stopped, his gun held tight in his hand, Braeden also giving him a guarded and curious look. It didn’t smell like Wendigos, or anything supernatural. It was human, there were humans there.

He tilted his head back a bit, scenting the air and trying to get the direction it came from. He could actually tell because there was no wind, it was lingering around, spreading and thinning out. They were close, but not that close. He could smell the oil, body spray, definitely blood. It was strong and coppery, tangy and nose wrinklingly sour.

“What’s wrong?” Braeden asked as she got out of the car and stopped at his side, a shotgun in hand.

“Humans,” he simply replied, still eyeing the dirt hills, bushes, trees and shrubbery. They couldn’t be far, not with how strong the scents were, the strongest being the blood.

“Injured?” her tone deepened, sounding a little grimmer.

“Very,” he almost growled back, hating the idea of humans running around this restricted area. Even with the Wendigos gone, it was still dangerous, depending on what animal they ran into. _(Literally, baby bear from the movie)_

“Lead the way, Shep,” she joked and he rolled his eyes at her, already tired of the dog names she came up with. It was a new one every few days. Fido, Rover, Shep, Benji... obviously she wasn’t a very creative person.

Derek huffed and started walking, heading straight towards the scents. They were getting stronger and stronger with each few steps and hopefully, they wouldn’t have to get too far from the truck. With in running distance, if not then Braeden would have to go back and get it. The wolf figured that he was more suited to fight animals in this place, seeing as he was a lot more durable than anyone normal. He could more than likely take on a bear, maybe... he’d never actually tried and he wasn’t really eager to fight one.

He stopped for a second, his hearing finally picking something up, other than rattlesnakes, birds and bugs. He could hear yelling, a girl yelling at someone, she sounded royally pissed. And then he heard it.

“ _Guys!_ ” he glanced up to the top of a nearby hill, seeing a guy standing up there in a yellow shirt. “ _There’re people! Hey, over here!_ ” he started waving his arms around and Derek turned to look at his partner.

“I’ll go get the truck,” he stated and started to job back, leaving her to stride over to the people. Yeah, he said she would get the truck, but that was if there was danger, he couldn’t smell any, not yet anyway. But he was faster. It wouldn’t take him long to get the car and drive over.

\----------

He hopped into the drivers’ side and started the engine, revving it for a few seconds before pulling off and heading towards where he saw the guy waving. There had to be more there, more humans. They would group together... hopefully. He didn’t really want to go looking for people that were all spread out or the Grotto.

Derek turned the corner, seeing the group of humans. Three of them, two guys and a girl. Braeden was checking them over, seeing how badly they were hurt. He slowed the car, stopping it a good few feet away and then he jumped out, his gun still in hand as he closed the door and walked over. He then saw the looks he got when they turned to him. The look of shock or stun, completely surprised about something.

“Oh my god...” the girl said flatly and she just stared, making Derek frown deepen, to an almost intimidating level. The other guy was just opening and closing his mouth constantly, like he had no idea what to say and was just silenced.

“Derek, we need some gauze, bandages and a sling. This guy’s got the worst of it so far,” he heard Braeden state and he gave a nod, knowing she already knows he’ll get it and he turned around, taking his jacket off as he walked and he tossed it through the doors window on his way to the back of the truck.

“ _Did you see him?! He looked exactly like Wes!_ ” he heard the girl whisper _loudly_ to one of the guys, most likely the one that saw him too. He just shook his head with a sigh and grabbed the stuff Braeden had asked for. She was probably going to make him wrap the guy up, so he’d see him eventually, get his own take on the similarity between them.

He closed the back door and started walking around the truck, seeing the two stare at him again as he stepped over to where his hunting partner was still checking over the other guy.

“Derek, could you...” she knew she didn’t need to finish. She could probably see the knowing in his face already as he gently got between her and the kid. “Do a good job and I might stop with the dog jokes,” she smirked and he just shook his head, not even bothering to humour her with a smile. He crouched down to the boys’ level and finally looked at him, seeing the wide, shocked eyes as they both stared at each other. He was sure that his were wide too, because... this kid could be a doppelganger, maybe even his twin brother if he was a little older. It was... very surprising.

“Derek,” he quickly snapped from his thoughts and glanced at a smirking Braeden, knowing that the similarity between them made him falter for a few seconds.

“Check those two,” he frowned, gesturing to the other guy and girl and he turned back to the kid, his face still staring back in shock and Derek just decided to get down to it. He could smell where the blood and wounds were, so he easily and gently reached for the kids arm, carefully looking it over while still feeling the gaze on him.

“I’d say ‘take a picture’, but all you’d really have to do is look in a mirror,” he said flatly and with no amusement, seeming to catch the guys’ attention and he glanced up to see him swallow deeply and look down at his lap. He must’ve stunned him too, and it didn’t surprise him. This was very likely a two-way thing. Both of them finding this completely bizarre and unnatural.

“This can’t be real,” the wolf heard him mutter quietly, more to himself than anyone else and he just rolled his eyes and continued gauzing up the guys arm, being careful so he wouldn’t hurt him, and then he just as carefully started wrapping bandage around his bicep, where the injury was.

“Lost count on how many times I’ve said those exact words. You learn to live with it,” he said, speaking in general, to everything or anything. Truth be told, he didn’t know if he was talking about the reason he was covered in blood and hurt, or the fact that he was sitting in front of a very realistic copy. Though, it was more than likely the latter.

“You can’t say that this isn’t freaking you out,” he looked up at him, hesitant and almost scared.

“I didn’t say it wasn’t, but I don’t think I’m as freaked out as you are right now,” he moved to stand, dusting himself off before he reached out a hand, the other reaching out to grip his palm. “I’m used to seeing weird things, this just adds to the list,” he carefully pulled him up to stand, noting that he was about an inch or two shorter and very disoriented as he swayed to the side, forcing Derek to catch him by his uninjured arm and slip it around his shoulders to practically carry him. He really did seem like a younger version of Derek, a more human and scared one.

“Let’s get you guys’ outta here,” he mumbled, gaining more of the kids weight as he walked him to the truck, the other two already climbing in with Braedens’ help.

“Thank you,” the guy muttered into his shoulder as he slumped more. He was very sure that he just dropped unconscious on him and he huffed, reaching his arm down to slip in under the kids thighs. He picked him up, carrying him bridle-style to the truck. He wasn’t dying or anything, he’d live. He probably just had a really bad day and it warranted him sleeping it off.

“Have a nice nap,” he whispered flatly, helping him into one of the back seats where he buckled him in and closed the door. He stepped up to his own door and jumped in, taking a glance behind him at the kid before closing the door and nodding at Braeden to get moving.

“Hold on, guys,” throughout the drive back, he couldn’t help but keep glancing behind to the sleeping copy of himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The movie, Grizzly Rage, was actually slatted, but I thought that it was pretty good for a low budget film. :) I may watch it a few times, especially now that I know Tyler Hoechlin is a main character in it :)


	2. Awaiting Banter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Beck, a guest on this site asked me to continue this, making it a short story. I guess that was what I did and am doing. :) Guess I'm making this a story for you :)

So, the kid falling unconscious on him was actually a bad thing, but they were lucky they got to the nearest hospital when they did, because it turned out he had internal bleeding and was dying. Derek actually felt guilty for it, having not sensed it before or on the way to the ER. That guilt made him feel responsible, responsible enough that he stayed behind when the guy got out of the Emergency surgery and was taken to a private room. He was very lucky that they looked identical because the woman and nurses didn’t even bother asking if they were related and they just let him stay without saying a word.

That was about three days ago, he was into the third night, waiting for him to wake up and he’d even bribed the nurses to let him stay, paying them a good amount of money to let him stay with his ‘ _brother’_. He’d been awake for that time, just watching his prone body. The other two were fine, having been quickly checked over and given medication and stitches or whatever. They hadn’t even bothered coming around to check on their bedridden friend and that irritated him, how a simple traumatizing experience can break a friendship. Though Derek had that experience, multiple times. He’d broken ties with so many people after Paige...

Anyway, they left for home, taking a bus or hitchhiking or whatever they decided to do, and left Wes there, thinking that Derek would look after him and then take him home after he was healed up and checked out. Though that was what he was going to do, it wasn’t the point. They were supposed to be his friends.

The wolf watched calmly as the kid breathed easy, even though he was still coma-ly unconscious and rigid. His worry just seemed to grow with every minute he stayed like that. He was mildly afraid that he wouldn’t wake up and would just stay like that.

But that thought didn’t last long.

He heard the boys breathing change, hitching slightly and his heartbeat skipping a few times, that told him that he was finally stirring, his mind waking up after the long time it was out of use. He could see his face twitching and changing an expression of discomfort and Derek resisted the urge to ask a question with an obvious answer, or just put a hand on his chest to show he was there for him. He didn’t even know this kid, he just ran into him, a chance encounter. All he actually knew was his first name and that they could’ve been twins if they were the same age. He looked like he was in his early twenties, at _most_. And Derek was twenty-eight now.

“Mmm,” the kid groaned and it broke him from his thoughts, catching his attention so easily. He eyed him, swallowing the small lump in his throat and Wes tilted his head from side to side a few times, like he was testing something before he finally opened his eyes, only to the point that they were slits, and he groggily glanced around the room until they landed on him in the dark room. He didn’t seem to actually figure out who he was, instead looking at him like he was looking in a mirror. He didn’t actually _see_ him.

“Go back to sleep,” he said softly, watching as he just gave him a light, tired nod before closing his eyes again, his breathing starting to even out again and slow down, his heartbeat doing the same and he could sense when he fell back to sleep, the drugs and tiredness taking him back under into a coma-like state.

\----------

Derek didn’t sleep, his eyes and mind too focused on making sure the kid was fine, even though he’d woken up through the night, only to drop unconscious again. He’d leave once he saw the boy eating and drinking without help and he was sure that would be another few days. Braeden actually informed him, via text, after the kid fell to sleep, that there was a job just outside of town that could be done solo, and he knew that she hated waiting around so he gave her the go ahead. That left him a few days to look after this kid, Wes. Once she got back, they could take him home.

It was the early hours of the morning, the light only starting to come through the window to eliminate the room and he just watched him, all through the night he kept his eyes on him, taking in his every movement or twitch. He could hear the machines and nurses starting to wake up and move around in the background, a few patients groaning and moaning and talking to a nurse or doctor.

Time was slow as he solely concentrated on the body in the bed, his eyes only picking up little shifts and his ears picking up his breathing, heartbeat and his blood pumping through his body. He was sounding a lot better than before. He wasn’t raspy and his breaths weren’t as rough.

The very light knock on the door caught his attention, but only for a few seconds as he glanced up and saw the nurse, turning his head back to Wes.

“Good morning,” she whispered, walking into the room as silently as possible to check the machines he was hooked up to. “Any progress?” she asked, knowing that he stayed awake all night, keeping his eyes on him.

“Woke up about 4-ish, but he fell back to sleep a few seconds after,” he mumbled quietly, not bothering to look at her as she changed the drip bag he was on.

“He did? That’s good,” she said quietly and walked around the bottom of the bed, grabbing the file before she jotted something down, probably what he said. “You should get some rest too, go home, sir,” she smiled and he almost glared up at her, seeing and hearing her breath hitch as he firmly locked eyes with her.

“I’m not leaving until he does,” he muttered deeply as he turned back to the body in the bed. He would probably leave for a few minutes, but that would be for the bathroom, or for the motel to change his clothes, like he did the day before on Braedens’ orders.

“Okay, I-uh... let us know if there’s any more progress, will you?” she asked, her voice dripping with thick fear from his suddenly intimidating aura and words. He just nodded and she left. The nurses in this ward knew he wouldn’t leave. He’d made that clear, along with the very generous bribery. They left him alone, ignored him sometimes and some even smiled at him after he made a pretty big donation to the hospital funds. They left him alone out of fear and/or generosity.

\----------

A few nurses came in between the times of the early morning and lunch, asking if he wanted a cup of coffee or something to eat. He was sure that a minority of them liked him, physically, because they gave him a flirtatious smirk and left with a giggle when he said ‘ _No thank you,_ ’ or ‘ _Yeah, thanks,_ ’

He’d had three so far, and Wes was only now starting to stir again, his body aching him awake with a pained groan or wince. Derek carefully and quietly put the cup down, not catching the boys’ attention as he winced again with each little movement. The morphine should’ve been working, maybe the nurse switched it off in the night, the one that came last night to check up on him.

Derek didn’t move or make a sound as the boy opened his eyes a little, groggily glancing around the room again until he landed on him, his eyes roaming over him a little more aware than during the night. He swallowed dryly, the wince coming out gravely and that was when the wolf decided to move, standing up to grab the sealed shut jug of water and cup. He poured the liquid in and grabbed one of the few straws, slipping it in before going back over to the bed and sitting carefully on the edge. He aimed the straw his way and waited, seeing the mildly suspicious eyes on him before he leaned a tiny bit forward to take the straw in his mouth, supping until the water was coming through and into his mouth, easing his throat on the way down after swallowing.

Once done, he let the thin tube go, staying quiet as Derek put the cup down next to him on the table and sat down in the chair, silent as ever as he re-crossed his arms and watched him back intensely. He’d let the nurses know in a few minutes, wanting to let him wake up a bit before the room flooded with a handful of people.

“It was you last night, right?” he rasped out and he just nodded, still eyeing him. “You stayed with me?” he nodded again. “Why? ... And how? The visiting times are like... 1 to 2 and 6 to 7, right?” he nodded again and a very _very_ unnoticeable smile grew on his face.

“Generous bribery and donations do wonders,” Wes laughed lightly at that and instantly winced.

“Ah, don’t make me laugh,” he muttered with a straining smile, trying hard to hold back so he wouldn’t be in pain.

“Sorry,” he muttered, a smile still on his face as he watched him closely. “I’ll go get a nurse,” he stated as he stood up and moved to leave the room, only glancing back to see the boy watching him with soft eyes. It... felt weird, someone looking at him like that, but it was a nice-weird.

“Sir? Can I help you?” the woman smiled at the desk as he walked over. His face dropped his smile as soon as he left the room.

“He’s awake,” he mentioned, pocketing his hands as she fumbled a little.

“Alright, okay, thank you. We’ll be there in a few minutes,” she smiled wider and he turned around, heading back towards the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed :) I'm actually having fun turning this into a story. Also, let me know if you want me to turn this into a brothers thing or a pairings thing. I'll more than likely make it both though. You know, like a 'they start acting like brothers and then get physically close', more than likely no sex.


	3. Painful Laughter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just realized that three chapters I've done, the titles, they all have a 'ter' at the end and they sort of rhyme xD

Not long after he walked back into the room, the nurses started showing up, wandering around the room to sort out the machines and talking to Wes to see how he felt and if he needed anything. One or two had even asked Derek a few questions about when he woke up during the night. He answered with the same thing he’d said to the nurse at the time, deciding to ignore them after they finished with him.

It didn’t take long for the room to empty out again, two of them hanging back to chat and get more information.

“Any nausea? Dizziness? Disorientation? ” one asked and Wes just shook his head, the wolf catching the lie through the sound of his heart skipping. He eyed him disapprovingly, but the kid didn’t look his way, seeming to find his bedsheets more interesting. He more than likely wanted out of the hospital as soon as possible and believed that lying was the right thing. Derek never really had problems with places like this. Incidents at school, when he hurt himself badly, his healing usually kicked in fast enough that he never needed to go. He was either sent home or he stayed to continue class.

“Okay, thank you,” one nurse said before leaving, jotting something down in her own notebook as she went through the slightly open door. The other nurse was still there, the one from that morning, she was still wary, but who wouldn’t be after Derek practically growled at them. He was intimidating, and he knew it. He used it to his advantage most of the time.

“Will-uh... will you be staying tonight again, sir?” she asked him, smiling awkwardly at him as she stood at the bottom of the bed. He could feel Wes’ eyes on him, almost suspicious, but very surprised, like when they first met.

“If he is,” he said simply, his arms tensing slightly in defence. He wasn’t going to justify himself. He didn’t need to.

“I... I could arrange to have a second bed brought in if yo-,”

“No, it’s fine. I don’t need one,” he cut her off before she finished. There wasn’t any point in getting another bed when he was going to be awake for the whole time. He’d get some sleep once they were out of there. When he was back in the motel. Chances were that they would be out of the hospital before Braeden got back, so everything was fine. He’d sleep later.

“Are you sure?” he didn’t even say anything before she left, her nerves skyrocketing when he only glanced up at her, a furrow on his brow.

They were left there in silence, everything suddenly too quiet and he could feel the kids’ eyes on him, intense and slightly disapproving like his own were when he lied. He knew he had so many questions, but he was sure that he was a bit too nervous to ask because of the way Derek was acting. The wolf sighed and turned to finally look at him, seeing the knitted browline and the slightly unfocused eyes.

“You shouldn’t lie to a nurse,” he muttered out as he looked away again, his fingers tapping at the end of the wooden arm of the chair. He actually felt weird when he advised him, like how he acted around Cora.

“You shouldn’t be a dick to one,” Wes shot back, his voice flat and a little rough. Derek turned to stare at him, his frowned a tad deeper when he said the comeback. He felt like he was looking after a younger sibling, eerily similar to when he was baby-sitting Cora after he got her back from the Alphas. He stopped thinking when he noticed the boy opening and closing his mouth, like he was trying to find the words to say something. “How did-... How’d you know I lied?”

“You have a tell,” he answered after a beat, simple and flat.

“And... the nurse, she said-... how long have you been here with me? Like by my bedside,” he clarified a little and Derek looked away, eyeing the door as he answered.

“Since you came out of surgery,” he said it just as flatly as he answered a few seconds ago.

“How long ago was that?” he asked, seeming genuinely curious about that. He would’ve been too, if it was him in the bed and he just woke up after fainting out in a desert forest area.

“Three days, give or take-,”

“Seventy-two hours?! You’ve been here, and awake for that long? Why?!” he was suddenly freaking out, his voice and tone louder and rougher, sounding like he was actually hurting his throat. Derek shot up to his feet when Wes tried to sit up and he gently placed a hand on his chest, carefully trying to hold him there.

“Lie down you idiot, you’ll hurt yourself. What part of ‘ _surgery_ ’ don’t you understand?!” he frowned harder, willing the boy to drop back to the bed and he eventually did, but with a light, defiant frown of his own. Seriously, he was looking after a younger version of himself that was just as stubborn as him.

“Why’re you here?”

“Baby-sitting,” he shot back, moving to walk away from him and stand at the bottom of the bed.

“Baby-sitting? You stayed awake for three days and nights just to look after me?” it sounded like he didn’t believe him, it was dripping in every word that he was calling bullshit and Derek resisted the urge to just leave then and there. He looked after him because he was worried, he wanted to make sure he was fine and then drive him back home.

“I’m keeping an eye on you so you don’t go into shock or have a fit or something,” he came out with as an excuse and he could see that the boy knew it too. He just raised a brow at him and Derek shook his head, sighing silently. “I was worried. You came in here and I was told that you had internal bleeding. I felt responsible because I didn’t see it sooner. I can’t sleep, so I’ve been keeping my eye on you,”

“So I’m a charity-case, because you couldn’t see that I had internal bleeding? There was no way you’d be able to tell that I was bleeding inside, that’s not your fault,” if he only knew. Derek should’ve been able to _feel_ that something was wrong, should’ve been able to sense it, and yet, he didn’t. He stayed quiet, just eyeing the boy before he glanced away and felt the guilt grow a little. He hated that he was thinking about the ‘if’s. Like, ‘if’ he’d been a few minutes later, the kid would be dead. ‘If’ he’d sensed it beforehand then there would’ve been a higher chance of survival for him.

“Dude, stop thinking, I can see it on your face,” the wolf turned to him, still staying silent as the other continued. “I’m alive because of you, right? You got me here and I’m all stitched up and breathing. I’m not dead,”

“You’d be dead if we didn’t make it just in time,” he muttered grimly and glanced down at the bottom of the bedsheets.

“Emphasis on the words ‘ _just in time’_ ,” Wes pointed out and Derek sighed, deciding to grow a pair and act his age. He gave a little smile and eyed him, seeing the smile being returned. “You saved my ass, you saved all our asses,” oh yeah!

“Speaking of-,”

“Asses?” the boy cut in, a crooked smile and raised brow aimed at him.

“No, your friends,” Derek huffed out, the word ‘duh’ showing on his face. “They left for home as soon as they were checked out, so I’ll be driving you home once my partner gets back,” he mentioned, seeing the frown returning to his face.

“They left without me?” he eyed him almost darkly, but the emotion was directed at the other two humans. “Seriously?” he just nodded and Wes huffed angrily, crossing his arms over his chest and wincing a little as he strained to hold them there. “I’m gonna tear them a newone when I get back,” he mumbled to himself and Derek watched him.

“I wouldn’t waste my breath on them unless they talk to you first,” he commented, shrugging a little when he noticed the boy looking at him, like he was considering it. “Do your own thing,” he said at the same time he sighed and he shifted from the bed, moving to sit down in his seat again, but with his elbows resting on his knees as he leaned forward. “Not worth your time,” he muttered, reaching for his cold coffee to finish it. He grimaced at the taste and temperature and drank it, seeing the mild amusement on the kids face when he eyed him.

“So, be friendless until they talk to me?” he tilted his head with a slightly sarcastic tone.

“You got me right now,” he shrugged as a joke and finished his drink, glad that it was done as he put it on the table.

“A cold, broody guy that considers himself responsible for my wellbeing because he couldn’t tell I had internal bleeding and felt completely guilty for it? Great... baggage,” he muttered, starting to laugh and then abruptly winced.

“Serves you right,” he shot back, chuckling when Wes started laughing again and then groaned with a straining smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed!!! Hopefully the next one will be a bit more active and with a few more known characters, or maybe the one after since I just had an idea for the next one :)


	4. Saddened Thinker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really don't know what I'm doing with these titles, seriously.. xD

They’d been there over a week and Derek was happy that Wes was finally released from the hospital, happy that he was checked out and given some medication for the pain and treatment. He’d said that they’d stay at the motel until his partner got back and that was what they were doing. The kid seemed a little edgy about the idea, probably thinking that he should get home as soon as possible, but it’d be faster with the car and that was with Braeden. So that left them there for another few days. She’d be back soon, hopefully.

He unlocked the door to the room, shoving it open and letting the boy walk in first, eyeing him as he winced a little, but tried to hide it while he stepped in and moved to sit on one of the beds. He kept glancing up at him as Derek wandered around room, putting Wes’ bag down in the corner, his keys in the bowl between the beds and he stripped from his jacked, the heat starting to be a bit much.

“If you want a shower, the stuff is in that bag,” he pointed to his duffle next to the other bed, the zip slightly open with D.H. written in white pen on the corner.

“Thanks,” he muttered still watching him. He didn’t know what happened during the time it took to get him out of the hospital and to the motel, but he was suddenly quieter, a little more guarded. It reminded him of when Derek started closing people off, distancing himself. He didn’t want that.

“Something wrong?” he asked softly, stopping what he was doing to look at him and he tried hard to hold that tone. “You’re a bit off today,” he added, dropping his jacket on his bed as he moved to sit on the edge, facing Wes who was staring at the carpet now and he noticed that they were sitting in an eerily similar position, leaning forward with their elbows on their knees. The human was a little strained though, like he was aching.

“No, I just...” he paused, like he was trying to think of what to say. He could easily tell if he lied, but he didn’t know whether he should point that out, letting him know that he couldn’t actually hide it. He’d said it back in the hospital room, so maybe Wes was aware now, thinking that he had a ‘tell’ that Derek knew about. He didn’t actually have one, he could hear his heartbeat, very clearly. “...just thinking about the last few days...” he sounded grim, his tone and his expression. He looked warn and tired, almost exhausted and gloomy, like he was remembering something that happened. It must’ve been before Derek and Braeden picked them up because the wolf had been with him since they found them. So, it happened beforehand.

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but... I’m a good listener, if you do,” he gave him a crooked smile before standing and going to the fridge, grabbing two of the beers that his partner stashed in there after they’d realized how long they would be staying. They never didn’t do anything for Derek, but he liked the burn they gave off when they ran down his throat.

He stepped back over and held one out for him, seeing him hesitate for only a few seconds before he grabbed it with a _thanks_ and plucked the cap off, Derek doing the same and they both took a sip almost in unison, but Wes pulled it from his mouth way after the wolf did.

“More in the fridge if you want some,” he mentioned and walked over to the table, putting his drink down before he sat down and lifted the lid on the laptop, going through a few emails and notifications. The laptop actually managed to track Braedens phone without him having to do anything and he saw that she was on the boarder of Canada and Montana. He frowned at that, eyeing the screen like he didn’t believe it or thought it was broken. He remembered her saying that she was going to North Dakota, a little ways off and next to Montana. It didn’t seem to move from there either. It was pinned there, no movement, at all.

He decided to leave it for a while, closing the laptop before he turned his body to face the room with his back against the wall. He grabbed his beer and took another sip, seeing Wes get up with a bit of struggle as he made his way to the fridge, getting another drink.

\----------

“ _...Goddammit, Ritch!_ ” Derek looked up from the laptop screen, a frown on his face as he eyed Wes. He was practically folded and curled together on the bed, holding an empty bottle to his chest and he swore he could hear whimpering and sniffing like he was off the verge of blowing up in tears.

The wolf instantly got to his feet and walked over, concern written on his face as he  placed a knee on the bed, his hand out in front of him as he leaned over the lightly shaking body. He reached a hand to his shoulder, gently gripping it and feeling the boy jolt a little and snap his head up to look at him. He could tell the kid was wasted, a complete light-weight, and that was probably why he was emotional right now, the drink having a bad effect on him.

Wes was scared, he could easily pick up the emotion, but he could _see_ it in his eyes, he didn’t need to use his senses to figure that out. Derek comfortingly run his hand warmly up and down his arm, from his shoulder to his elbow and back again. The boys’ heartbeat was wild, along with his panted breathes. He knew he hadn’t been asleep or had a nightmare, so he must’ve been thinking about it while he’d been lying there, in his own thoughts.

“Th-there’s... no bears around here... right?” Derek raised a brow at that, his frown quickly appearing out of confusion.

“We’d know if a bear was close, I would, anyway,” he eyed him, seeing his throat bob as he swallowed from fear and he added. “This town is well protected, we’d be warned if a bear showed up,” and that seemed to do something, because he let go of the bottle and placed a hand over his, squeezing gently for unspoken comfort, or that was what Derek thought anyway. He was still young and that was what kids normally did when they didn’t want to be alone. So, he assumed that Wes wanted him to stay there.

“C’mon, move up the bed,” he gestured to the pillows and they slowly moved, making their way up the bed and Derek lied down, almost on his side when the kid dropped his head hard on his chest, making him grunt. He sighed and reached a hand to his hair, threading his fingers through to try and ease him. This was what his mother used to do and it worked like a treat for him, so maybe it would work for this guy.

And it seemed to work just as well. It wasn’t long after he started that he could hear his heartbeat drop and his breathing calm down, his eyes closed with drying wet lines on his face. He was sure that he was asleep, he felt asleep, his body being a dead weight on his torso and holding him there. And the light snore was a dead giveaway that he was completely out.

Derek was tired himself, but he didn’t know if he’d be able to sleep like this. His worry was still there for Wes. He had dry tears on his face, so that meant he’d been crying or at least been letting a few out. So something was bothering him, to the point that only drinking would make it easier to let out, and that wasn’t exactly good for his health. Though Derek was just as bad, but drinking didn’t help and couldn’t since he couldn’t get drunk. He could only hide it behind his guarded, solid wall of a mask. Hell, even Stiles could see he had a huge mental problem that should be seen to.

The wolf let out a yawn and blinked tired a few times before glancing back at the very similar face and eyeing him until he felt another yawn come on. That was basically telling him to get some rest. He’d said in the hospital that he’d sleep when he got back, so maybe, since he couldn’t move and he was on a bed, maybe this would be a good chance.

He sighed a little and dropped his head back into a pillow, shifting subtly and unnoticeably until he was comfortable and started to doze off, feeling heavier and heavier until he finally fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoppith you enjoyedith.... yeah...
> 
> Hope you liked it :) The next one will definitely be the one with known characters xD


	5. Thorough Ponder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so this one, you may need to think a little. Family relations and all that xD

He was a light sleeper, a _very_ light sleeper, so when he heard several heartbeats and yelling outside his eyes shot open and he was on high alert, keeping his ears open and his senses spread out. He suddenly frowned, taking in the scents that were only just catching his nose and he turned to the door, eyeing it warily. Derek took a quick glance down and carefully and quietly shifted out from Wes, making sure to be extra careful when he put him down on the pillows. He silently made his way over to the door, reaching out a hand and he pulled the door open quickly, shocking the one human in the group of supernaturals that were lingering outside the door.

“Jesus Christ, Derek! Give a guy a heart attack why don’t you,” Stiles huffed, panting as he held a hand tight to where his heart was.

“What’re you guys doing here,” he growled out, the entire pack starting to grin at him.

“Happy birthday!” the all yelled and he frowned, only then realising the date and he shook his head before closing the door behind him and standing outside with the group.

“Dude, you’re not inviting us in?” Scott asked, a little suspicious and he was sure that he picked up the other scent inside.

“I would, but I’ve got company,” he stated and then heard the muffled movement from inside. The yell of happy birthday more than likely woke him up and he was probably wondering where he was, if the gradually racing heartbeat meant anything. He needed to be in there with him, to keep him calm. It hadn’t been that long since they slept, so Wes was either still drunk or he had a hangover. Derek huffed and looked between each of the group members, his frown deepening. “No one say anything,” he said firmly, seeing the raised brows and questioning looks. He grabbed the door handle and opened it, walking into find his human version sitting worriedly on the bed, a dazed, tired and still drunken look on his face.

“Dude, where’d you go? And who’re they? You’re not gonna sell me to them, are you?” yeah, he was still drunk, and it seemed that the sleep drained his weird ‘bear’ fear for the moment. And he would’ve answered, but Stiles got there first.

“Oh my god! Did Kate duplicate you instead of de-aging you this time!?” he yelled and Wes groaned as he dropped back and covered his ears with a pained look on his face.

“Too loud, dude! Too loud,” he turned over and face into the pillow, his voice muffling as he repeated ‘ _too loud_ ’ over and over again. So maybe the hangover was starting to come in.

“What’s wrong with him?” Scott asked curiously.

“He’s drunk,” Derek offered, not even bothering to elaborate when the alpha raised both brows at him. Stiles was still eyeing his copy, like the rest of the group as they glanced between him and Wes.

“So... is he your twin or something?” the human turned to him and the wolf just shook his head, so done with Stiles’ questions and voice.

“No, he’s too young to be my twin. There’s at least six or seven years between us,” he supplied, moving to stand up and turn to the group.

“He doesn’t smell like him either-,” Malia came out with, but Wes cut her off, shifting and rolling over until he was on his back.

“Why’re you sniffing people!? It’s weird... I think I’m ‘onna throw up,”

“Not there you’re not,” Derek said firmly and he moved to drag him to his feet, practically carrying him to the bathroom where he quickly shot to the toilet and rung up his gut, everything he’d eaten or drank was now filling the inside of the toilet. The wolf leaned over the bath and opened the small window, letting the horrible scent leave through it.

“So... what, he’s like the alcoholic version of you?” Stiles asked from a few feet away from the doorframe.

“No, he’s not _any_ version of me, he just looks identical. And he’s not an alcoholic,” he pointed out, having actually no idea if he was or not, he was... maybe seventy percent sure since he never smelt any on him until he offered him the first one.

\----------

After getting a hurting Wes to brush his teeth with one of the extra tooth-brushes they had, he gave him a pair of pjay pants to wear, making him change in the bathroom before letting him go to one of the beds and letting him sleep it all off. He stared over at him from where he sat on the other bed, the group spread out on that side of the room and speaking quietly so as not to wake him or anything. He was a little worried about him, hoping that he’d be fine once he woke up.

“So, we actually found you through Braeden,” Scott pointed out quietly, sitting on one of the wooden chairs he’d quietly pulled over from the table. “We saw her the other day in Montana after calling her, said you were here,” he added with a smile.

“She told me she was going to North Dakota,” he turned to him, no smile in sight.

“Yeah, to make you think that was where she was going, like a ruse,” so she’d been a part of this? Did she think he wouldn’t check the tracker? Really?

“So, you thought you’d just show up and wish me a happy birthday? Why not text me or something,”

“Dude, you’re being a downer. C’mon, it’s your last year of being in your twenties! Thirty next year, man,” Stiles said with a grin, seeming all too excited for this and Derek was just sitting there, not at all bothered that it was his birthday. He stopped caring after his family died, it was just another year without them and it didn’t hurt any less reminding himself of that. “Though-uh...” he glanced up at him, seeing the suddenly sad look on his face. Derek must’ve been an open book for him to abruptly change demeanour like that. “... guess you have a pretty good excuse on why you don’t like them anymore...”

And then came the awkward silence, the entire group just sitting or standing there with uncomfortable twitches and expressions on their faces. If he knew that all this was coming, he would’ve just sent a text to them, telling them not to show up.

“So, what’s his name?” he glanced at Lydia, who seemed to find a way to subtly get rid of the quiet.

“Wes,” was his simple answer and she moved to sit a few feet away on the bed, arms crossed as she looked over him.

“He looks a little banged up. Where’d you find him?”

“Saranoc Grotto, a highly restricted area in the next town over. There were three of them and it looked like their truck rolled down a pretty steep hill with them still in it. He had the worst of it, internal bleeding, busted arm, bruises, cuts,” he counted mentally, thinking through what the doctors had told him after he went in for surgery. “They thought I was his brother, so the doctors’ let me stay with him,” he added without anyone even asking a question related to what he’d said.

“You could pass as his brother without a doubt,” Liam finally spoke, a very curious and happy on his face. He hadn’t actually seen a lot of weird things since becoming a werewolf, so he was probably really interested in this. Derek wasn’t sure if anyone would say it’s supernatural, but it’s really _unnatural_ for this kind of thing. If Wes was a few years older, he’d be deemed a doppelganger, or maybe a long lost twin if you’re a normal human, who didn’t know a thing about the supernatural.

“He’s human, right?” Mason asked from behind the youngest werewolf, Derek giving him a nod as confirmation. “Does that mean you’re not related?”

“Him not being a werewolf and me being one doesn’t have anything to do with relation. A majority of my family were werewolves, the rest were human,” the kid just nodded, seeming to understand what he’d meant after taking in his explanation.

“But are you related?” he then asked, looking between them again.

“I don’t think so. I was the only son and I think I’d remember my mother being pregnant again, let alone give birth. And I’m definitely not born from his parents, because I’m a werewolf, more than half my family was too, so there’s some proof,” he frowned at the body on the bed, now actually thinking about it.

“But what if his family are werewolves too, and you were separated from them at birth?” Malia asked, pointing out something he hadn’t really come up with. His mouth opened a little, his frown deepening. That... could actually be something he needed to think on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop whoop!!! The pack was there to screw with Derek's mind!!! Hope you enjoyed :D


	6. Revealing Relater

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know, these titles are getting weirder and weirder XD

He wouldn’t say that he was highly considering what Malia came out with, but it was there, sparking in the back of his mind. Derek was very sure that he was born in the Hale line, he’d picked things up from his mother and father, like things in the family jeans. He even looked more like his father than anyone, anyone could tell they were related from appearance. Even Laura said that Derek was a spitting image of their dad. So why was he even bothering to think on it... There was no way he was from this kids family. If he and Wes were related, then the kid was a Hale.

He was thinking too much, they were more than likely not related at all, like it was some coincidence that they looked identical. He remembered Stiles saying that there were several people in the world that were very similar in appearance, like one of the fortune cookies paper crap.

Wes didn’t smell the same, his _pure_ scent was different, the scent that would distinguish if he really was belonging to Derek.

“Mmm,” the wolf snapped his eyes to the human, seeing him turn over and groan again, more than likely from the hangover. “Damn,” he muttered into the pillow. It was late now, dark outside and the pack had paid for rooms, separate to Derek’s because he already had someone with him.

He stood up and walked over to the bathroom, grabbing a cup of water and some pills he had Scott and Stiles go get from the store. Even if he was very close with the pack, he didn’t really trust anyone to be around Wes unless he was there. He walked back into the room and put the glass on the side table, the pill too. Derek watched him, eyeing him as he sat back on the bed next to the humans.

“Thanks,” he groaned into the bed, one eye peeking at him.

“No problem,” the wolf had changed after the group left, jumping into an extra pair of bedpants he brought with him. He’d been ready for bed, but the thoughts about what Malia said got to him, keeping him awake to the point that he eventually just sat up and relaxed against the headboard, staring at the human while trying to make sense of everything. Every time he thought he managed to understand something, another question would come up, like if Wes was a Hale, then why would his parents get rid of him? Or how did they hide him? And then there was one where Derek questioned his own lineage, asking himself if he was really a Hale, but at the end of everything, the scent thing would pop up, telling him that they weren’t related at all and he’d feel a little better, getting confident again that he was the son of Talia.

“Dude, you look spooked,” Wes snapped him from his thoughts, making him glance over to see him sitting up to take the medication and water. He actually realised there that he made a mistake giving him the alcohol, because the stuff he had from the hospital wouldn’t work properly until he was one-hundred percent sober. “What’s up?”

“... Nothing,” he muttered quietly, seeing the instant look of disbelief of the kids face and he just shook his head in easy surrender. “Mason and Malia pointed out that there’s a chance we’re related and I’m over thinking it,”

“I’m not surprised, dude. We could be the same person if you were a little younger,” was he _still_ drunk? “I mean... I was freaked out at first, but thinking on it now, we could be brothers. I was born after you, so I don’t know who the adopted one could be, hell, could be me. You’d have to ask your mom,” he shrugged groggily, taking the pill and swallowing water to ease its way down.

“... I can’t,” he said solemnly, his expression dropping a little, a solid mask now starting to cover his features.

“Why not?” he asked after finishing the drink and then he looked at him, a confused and curious look on his face and then... “ _Oooohhh..._ uh-sorry, I didn’t mean to _..._ ” he trailed off and Derek just rolled his shoulders and looked away. “What-what about you father? Would he know?”

“Dead too,” he said after a second.

“Sorry... any aunts?” he asked hesitantly.

“Dead,” he started frowning.

“Cousins?”

“Dead,” Malia didn’t really count since she stuck with Tate as her last name. Plus he only recently learnt about her like two years ago, so she was never really a Hale.

 “...sisters?”

“One’s dead, the other’s younger than you,” he supplied and crossed his arms tighter over his chest.

“Uncles?”

“Dead- no! Actually... died, came back and became a psychopath, and now he’s in a metal asylum,” he raised his brows in mild surprise when he said the sentence. He was really the only family member he had left. Cora left for good, she even said that to him to make sure that he never went after her. Said she had enough of the families’ bad luck and Derek being a big beacon for said luck.

“... I really hope that I’m not the adopted one,” the wolf barked a laugh at that and turned to look at him, seeing the crooked and unsure smile on the humans face.

“If we _are_ related, let alone brothers, then you’d be a Hale. We had a very distinct trait in the family, I have it, that makes me a full blooded Hale,” he eyed him up and down for a second, Derek’s smile now turning a little sad. “For your sake, I hope we’re not related,” everyone in the family seems to die around him, so he hoped he was right in telling the kid that.

“Dude, it’d be pretty dope if we were brothers. Don’t give me that ‘ _for your sake’_ crap. And what’s the distinct trait? How’d you know I don’t have it?” Wes shifted until he was sitting on the edge of the bed, legs hung over the side and facing Derek, who was lounging across the bed with his back up against the headboard and his arms and ankles crossed.

“Trust me, I’d know,” he said simply.

“C’mon man,” he whined a little, leaning forward until his elbows were on his knees. “Give me something,” the wolf glanced at him with raised brows, eyeing him like he was something new and thinking over if he should really give away something this big. Werewolves only outted themselves when they really felt they could or should. Derek was very unsure at that moment, but he was a little bit more than fifty percent sure that Wes would freak out for a while, like when they first met. He was also sure that this kid knew nothing of the supernatural world, or even knew what a Lycan was.

“... Lycanthrope,” he said after a beat, watching as the kids face changed to confusion. So that was a no, he didn’t know what it-

“Is that a werewolf thing? Like from Underworld?” okay, so he may have forgotten that there were movies out there that used that term to label their kind.

“Did you know they really exist?” he came out with next, trying to get a little deeper into the conversation.

“Dude, really? You believe in the supernatural?” he asked him in a sarcastic way and that was actually when he knew that the kid knew nothing. So... should he continue? Should he tell him? Maybe show him? Actions spoke louder than words, right?

“Yeah, I do,” he turned to him, his mask back up. “I believe in almost everything,” he shrugged. “Everything supernatural anyway,” he added as specification.

“Just... okay, so, hypothetically, let’s say I believe too. Why are you bringing the supernatural stuff up? I thought we were talking about your family trait thing,” he asked, a frown that was identical to his own grew on his face, confusion in there too and Derek just eyed him again.

“Being a supernatural creature is the family trait,” he sighed out, seeing a flat look hit him, Wes now staring at him like he lost it.

“I-uh... no disrespect, but I think you may need to join your uncle,” he said as a little joke, disbelief easily hearing dripping from each word. Derek clenched his jaw and darkened his look, seeing the sudden guilt flash in the other’s eyes and then he _flashed_ his at him, his eyes changing to a bright blue. That guilt was exchanged with shock, surprise, incredulity and awe, a lot of awe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like this chapter :) The revealing in real!!!!


	7. Nota Killer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's so late. I took a day or two off and sad I'd get it up and then completely forgot that it was here Dx

“Holy shit!” the kid hissed, his emotions sparking differently every few seconds. It’d be fear, awe, confusion, surprise, curiosity, and then it’d skip through them in different orders. Just skipping over and over.

“So, you think you have this family trait?” he asked calmly, his voice slightly gravelly from the shift. He eyed him, watched him, keeping himself as calm and as composed as possible so he wouldn’t freak him out. He was very aware of how people reacted to this, but Wes’ reaction was... different, he seemed more interested and curious than scared or shit-himself fearful.

“I-uh... No, I don’t think I have any... of... that,” he gestured to his face, very unsure about how to answer and act around him now. He could hear the heartbeat skips and he was sure this was a very new thing for him, hell, he didn’t need to listen to his heartbeat to see that this was his first time seeing this kind of shift in a human.

Truth be told, Derek knew that he didn’t really _need_ to have this trait to be family, a minority of the Hales were human, so maybe he was related, but... that didn’t explain the pure-scent difference.

“When you see your parents, talk to them,” he heard himself saying before slowly shifting back into his human form. He wanted to be very sure, but he couldn’t really talk to his own parents now, could he...

“Why not meet them yourself? You’ll be able to have a better impact on them if you’re actually there as living proof,” he shrugged, seeming a little calmer again now that Derek looked normal. “But-uh... don’t show them... what you just did. I’d rather that they not have a heart attack,” he chuckled and crossed his arms before sitting on the other bed, facing him and staring at him very... fascinatedly? Engrossingly? He just eyed him soo intensely, like he was searching him with a grin. He could almost see the questions filling his head and that was when he just sighed.

“What?” he asked, raising a brow at him questioningly.

“Does it hurt? When you change, I mean. What about the teeth? Are they as sharp as they look? Does your whole face change? Can you fully transform? Dude! Do you look like the Van-Hellsing werewolves? Or the Underworld ones? Or maybe the one from that old Teen Wolf movie? Are there other colours for the eyes? Like bright green or yellow?” well, he was just full of questions, wasn’t he.

“No, it doesn’t. Yes they are, and there are stages to the transformation, my full transformation being an actual wolf, not one from a movie. The eyes can be Red, yellow and blue, like mine,” he answered in order and promptly shut up to see the grown awe in his face. He was really excited, like he was too happy to learn about his kind of creature.

“Why those three colours?” he asked after a beat.

“An Alpha has red eyes, an Alpha’s a leader of a pack,” he answered, adding the label right after he saw the question spark in his eyes. “Yellow and blue are Betas and/or Omegas. Betas are wolves with a pack, Omegas are alone, the ones that don’t have a pack,” he didn’t add that blue meant he’d killed an innocent. That awe he saw in the boys’ face was better than fear and he was getting to know this kid, he was enjoying the little time they’d had together and he really didn’t want him to be afraid.

“So, are you a Beta or Omega?” that was actually hard to answer. Because, he was sort of both...

“Both, I guess. I’m sort of pack mates with the group you saw earlier, but I’m always away from them, travelling and hunting,” he shrugged, starting to shift down the bed to lie down, his ankles and arms crossed as he started to relax into the mattress. “Packs are only packs when you have more than three members,” he added tiredly and turned onto his side, now facing the kid with sleepy eyes. “You must’ve been a human equivalent of a pack before Braeden and I found you,” he muttered out the statement, hearing the heart skip and breath hitch.

“How did... how’d you know that?” he whispered out quietly, looking like he just saw a ghost.

“When you were drunk, you called out ‘Ritch’, a guys’ name, and we only saw the three people when we first saw you, meaning that there must’ve been another,” he pointed out easily, seeing the sadness in his face and smelling it fill the room. “It wasn’t your fault,” he added, knowing that it wasn’t. They’d all smelt of grief while Wes was unconscious in hospital. They all felt like it was on them and death wasn’t anyones’ fault unless they dealt it firsthand. He was sure that if this kid was, in fact, a werewolf, his eyes would still be gold.

“How’d you know?” he asked solemnly, his eyes downcast and sad. “How’d you know that I didn’t kill him?”

“Because, I haven’t, and still don’t, smell anyone else’s blood on you. When I first saw you, you didn’t smell like a murderer. It may have been unintentional, you’re not a killer,” it sounded oddly similar to what Laura said to him when he finally told her about Kate after the fire, after his family died. He thought she would’ve tossed him or something, not hold him and tell him that everything was okay and it was going to get better. He seemed to hate himself more after she held him. He felt so horrible, so bad. He didn’t deserve a sister like her.

Dereks’ brow creased when he noticed the frown on the humans’ face, directed at him and interested, curious. He was probably smart enough to read between the lines and catch something that he hadn’t meant to show.

“Why does it sound like you’re speaking from experience?” guess he was smart enough... The wolf swallowed thickly and turned over, his back now facing Wes. “Guess you know what I’m going through? You’ve felt it before...” he muttered quietly, still talking to him even when he basically just shrugged off the question.

“It wasn’t your fault. Go to sleep, Wes,” he sighed quietly.

“How is it not my fault?” he asked a little louder, like he was getting irritated.

“Because blaming you for killing your friend, is like blaming me for killing my family,” he finally growled out, his voice low and gravelly. He hated how he said it, he made a comparison and it didn’t sound that fair. But Wes seemed to understand, he gasped when he said it and then he heard shifting behind him, like the kid moved to lie down.

“I’m sorry,” he said in a whisper.

“Don’t be,” he replied after a beat and yawned, moving to grab the blanket and pull it up over him. He didn’t really need it because he was basically a walking heater, but he felt like he needed another layer, to cover himself and feel a little more comfort.

“You know...” he paused and Derek wanted to facepalm, he really did. This was like Stiles and his constant mouth. “It’d still be pretty awesome if we were related,” the wolf scoffed, a laugh coming through.

“Wes Hale, has a ring to it,” he smiled a little.

“Or ... Derek Harding,” he scoffed again, because that sounded like a repair store name, but he wasn’t going to voice it, because Wes’ sounded exactly the same. It had to be the ‘Harding’ part.

“Get some sleep, kid. Braeden should be back tomorrow,” hopefully. He’d had enough of this damn emotional rollercoaster Wes was putting him through. He just wanted to drop him off, and maybe find out a few family things about the Hales and Harding before leaving to hunt again. He wanted to be back to his usual emotionally constipated self, like Stiles kept saying.

“ _Kid..._ I’m only a few years younger than you, old man,” they both laughed at the same time, sounding very _very_ similar. Maybe, the two families were actually related, like his grandfather was the brother of Wes’ grandmother and she married a Harding and that was how they were related and looked identical. He could ask the kids’ mother or father, they wouldn’t turn him away when it looked like they could be twins.

“Did you know you twitch when you think?” he hummed in question and turned a little, looking over his shoulder at the boy to see him smirking. “You twitch. Your muscles on your shoulder and back shift a little when you’re thinking pretty hard on something,” he never actually noticed that.

“Back in the hospital, when I knew you were lying and I told you that you had a tell? A humans’ heartbeat skips when they lie,” he smirked back and saw his face widen a little and he got up onto his elbow.

“Dude, you’re like a walking lie detector!” he said in excitement and grinned at him childishly. “You’d be awesome if you were a cop!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this very late chapter :) Still, really sorry about the lateness :/


	8. Exchanging Number

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is like.... AGES late... no excuses and stuff... :/ I'm a lazy douche, but you can slap me after you read it.

Derek woke to the sound of a familiar car engine, the humming revs purring in his ears and he turned over onto his back before sitting up, his legs swinging over the side of the bed. It was still early, the sun not even coming through the curtains of the room yet. So it was still pretty dark out.

He stood up and walked around the beds to the door, grabbing the key to it before unlocking and letting the woman in. He stopped when suddenly smelt her blood.

“Don’t. It’s only a scratch,” she reassured quietly, and she wasn’t lying, yeah, he smelt blood, but there wasn’t a lot of it. “Before you ask, it was a ghoul. I was out of reach of her teeth so she tried grabbing, scratched me in the process,” as long as she was okay, he was good. “How’s mini-you doing?” she gestured to the bed to change the subject. She left before he was out of hospital, so she missed a lot.

“He’s fine,” Derek whispered, eyeing him before continuing. “Internal bleeding was patched up quick and easy and he woke up a few days later. He’s been with me since,” he muttered and sat down at the bottom of the bed, still watching the sleeping body under the covers, his chest rising and falling easily.

“Well that’s good. What’s the game plan? What’re we doing with him?” she asked quietly, moving over to the seat at the table where the laptop was still sitting. He watched her for a few seconds, noting that the scratch the ghoul gave her actually made her wince, and he decided to stand and walk over, ignoring her protests as he grabbed her arm and started sucking the pain away.

“I was waiting for you to get back with the car. Thought we’d take him home since his friends couldn’t have waited, and I... I want to talk to his parents, to learn if we _are_ actually family. There’s no way this guy is a doppelganger, or Shapeshifter, or anything supernatural,” he shrugged, finally letting go of her to see the black veins littering his arm. He moved back over to the bed and sat down, kicking his legs up into a cross-legged position with his elbows on his knees.

“Alright, I get it,” and he was sure she did. He wanted to know if he still had some family left, ones that might not mind him. His uncle was a psychopath in Eichon House, his sister wanted nothing to do with him, and Wes... he didn’t even know if they were related, but the kid was interested in him, he wanted to learn a few things from him and he said he wouldn’t mind them being family, Derek liked him, like actually liked him. He wouldn’t mind being related to the guy either. “We leave once he’s awake, let him come round with some coffee and we’ll get going,” she muttered, opening the laptop to probably find them another case once it’s all done and the kid’s gone. Or maybe she was helping other hunters out, giving them cases like Garth does for other hunters like the Winchesters or whatever.

“You want the bed?” he asked politely, starting to move up on the bed anyway since he knew she’d rather mess around on the laptop instead.

“Nah, go ahead and get some rest,” she answered him anyway. He lightly scoffed and climbed under the blanket, facing the human in the other bed.

\----------

Derek had started making coffee for the kid as soon as he heart his breathing pattern change just before he started stirring awake, groaning a little when the sun streaming through the window hit him right in the eyes and made him turn over on his front. He was amused, to the point that he had a smirk on his face and he firmly ignored Braeden eyeing _him_ with just as much amusement.

“Get your ass up, made you coffee,” he said loud enough for the human to groan profanities at him and telling him to give him ‘five more minutes’. He just rolled his eyes and shook his head lightly, putting down his own cup of coffee to walk over to the bed and grabbed the blanket, pulling it all the way down to the bottom of the bed where Wes would have to get up just to grab it anyway. He groaned again, more curses and words muffling into the pillow as he spoke. “Braeden,” he called, looking over his shoulder her and he gestured to his bare back. “There anything cold lying around?” he smirked evilly.

“Okay! I’m up! I’m up! No need for the cold stuff!” he quickly shot up on the bed and regretted it, instantly being hit with a light-headed feeling. Derek chuckled and walked away, moving back over to where his coffee was sitting and he took a few sips, tasting the ‘ _wake up_ ’ in it. “Why am I awake? Besides the coffee?” he asked groggily while rubbing his eyes of sleep.

“We’re taking you home after we have coffee and you get dressed,” he said flatly, hiding the mild disappointment he felt from what he said. He’d enjoyed the little time they had together.

“Seriously? Bummer,” Wes stated, actually sounding a little sad and not bothering to hide it. Derek just looked over, his brow unintentionally knitting slightly, though no one seemed to notice which he was thankful for.

“Why not exchange cell-numbers, simple guys,” Braeden pointed out like it was so obvious, her hand waving a little as if gesturing. The wolf just rolled his eyes and drank his coffee. It was a good idea, he’d probably do it while they were on the road.

“Didn’t think of that,” Wes mumbled out as he stood up from the bed and made his way over to the table for his hot drink. Derek had already finished his and had dibs on the shower, moving to grab a towel from his bag to dry himself with later. His clothes were already in there, having tossed them next to the sink before Wes woke up.

\----------

 **_From Wes_ ** _(8:23)_

_\--- :3_

**_From Wes_ ** _(8:23)_

_\---:D_

**_From Wes_ ** _(8:24)_

_\--- :)_

**_From Wes_ ** _(8:24)_

_\--- >:)_

Derek stared at the screen of his phone, his expression flat and tired from the drive. As soon as Wes had his number emoticons were flying everywhere. He kept sending one after another and another and another and he was so tempted to throw his phone at him to make him stop.

 **_From Wes_ ** _(8:26)_

_\--- Dude! Dude! Dude! Dude! Dude! Dude! Dude! Dude!_

He was as annoying as Stiles, who was probably still asleep at the motel with the pack right now. He remembered Braeden telling them that they were leaving when he and Wes were packed and putting things in the boot.

 **_From Wes_ ** _(8:27)_

_\--- Duuuuuuude!_

“I regret giving you my number,” he stated flatly and irkedly and more to himself as he rubbed the bridge of his nose and ran his hand through his hair.

“What? I’m bored. Sue me,” he shot back with a smirk on his mouth. He was doing it on purpose, just to rile him up and he could tell that Wes knew how it easy it was just from the emoticons that were sent to him repeatedly. He learned that Derek had a shitty temper and he was messing with him. It was like he was Stiles in another body that looked like his, but younger.

 **_From Wes_ ** _(8:29)_

_\--- Did you know that a Polar bears’ skin is actually black?_

... “What?” he asked outloud and looked over his shoulder at his younger self, seeing the smirk on his face.

“Yeah, weird, I know right? The snow dyed their fur. Their skin is actually black,” why would he even need to know that? It was a little interesting and he had that ‘ _the more you know_ ’ thing going through his head, but why? Just why?

 **_From Wes_ ** _(8:31)_

_\--- Did you know that elephants’ have four knees?_

Was he going to be bombarded with this stuff instead of emoticons now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope ya'll enjoyed xD


	9. Relative Ender

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's a little shorter, but this is where it ends :/

The drive was boring besides from the weird stuff Wes texted him every few minutes around the start, after that he fell asleep and was currently _still_ asleep, even when they drove into the town and street the GPS gave them from the kids’ postcode and street and house number. They’d parked outside and just waited a few minutes before Derek leaned back and slapped his hand a few times on the inside of the humans’ knee, seeing him jump and then look around groggily.

“We’re back?” he yawned, starting to stretch with a grown. The werewolf only nodded and eyed the houses, mostly looking at the one that the GPS brought them too. They all jumped out of the car, Braeden locking it behind her from lack of trust and the three walked up the driveway, Wes going a little ahead from excitement to see his parents. He had to admit that the family looked pretty loaded, nearly as loaded as the Hales’ used to be, or still were since it all went to Derek after the family died and Peter was deemed unfit. He just never used the money and kept it hidden in the basement under the school, where all the other stuff still was.

Wes didn’t knock before grabbing the handle and turning it, the door opening easily before he gestured for them to come in and make their selves at home. Wes pointed for them to go one way while he went the other. Derek stayed as quiet as usual, just eyeing stuff before following Braeden into the livingroom, where everything was actually grand looking and pretty expensive.

“Wes!” he shot his gaze to his parents as they jumped from their seats and ran towards him, both practically tackling him and he froze, body completely stiff and almost painfully rigid. “Where have you been!? Your friends said they left you in the hospital with strangers’ and-,” the mother eyed him with a frown, the father already a few feet away after hugging him. “You seem older, did you have a growth spurt? And why is she laughing?” she turned to Braeden, who was chuckling and trying to hold it in.

“Because... I’m not Wes,” he said flatly, noting the disbelieving brow raise both parents gave him.

“Yeah, and I’m not your father,” the man chuckled to himself with a cigarette in his hand.

“Which you’re not,” he shrugged, watching him casually. He really hoped the kid would hurry up with whatever he was doing.

“Honey, what happened to you? Did you get a concussion?” the mother worried, reaching her hand up to cup his face, but he backed up and out of her reach, deciding to hide around Braeden who was still laughing. “Honey?” the mother seemed to start getting worked.

“My name’s Derek Hale,” he replied, still keeping out of reach as she walked towards him, but she stopped, dead in her tracks when he said his name and he eyed her cautiously, seeing the surprise, or even, shock in her face.

“Hale?” she asked. “Where’d you learn that name?” she seemed all too serious and he was happy when he heard Wes walking into the room.

“Mom?” he asked, sandwich in hand and he was so tempted to slap him with it when he realised that the kid did it on purpose so he wouldn’t get hugged or tackled with questions. Good thing Derek was never the touchy-feely and social person. So, it was inevitable that Wes was then tackled with a hug from the mother, the kid looking over at him with wide eyes. Yeah, it was on purpose.

“Honey! Oh, honey-,”

“Then who’re you?!” the father cut into the gushing of the mothers’ voice and he stared at him, getting slightly irked about repeating himself.

“Derek Hale,” he huffed, then turning to the woman. “And how do you know about the Hales’?” he asked anything but politely, his rudeness seeming to peek through after the mother tackled him and didn’t believe who he said he was the first time.

“Well... My mothers’ father, my grandfather, was Aldred Hale,” that was his...

“My Great-grandfathers’ name was Aldred,” he muttered quietly, now getting the connection. He and Wes were related by their Great-grandfather. That would make his dads’ dad and this ladys’ mother cousins, making him and the kid second-cousins that looked almost identical by coincidence and family relation.

“Then you’re... are you... Uh,” she eyed him warily and seemed like she was trying to get a question out that was very unsure it should even be said. “Are you... like him?”

“Hang on!” Wes jumped in, seeming to get what she was asking surprisingly quickly, because Derek still had no clue. “You know about... the Hale-trait-thing? The furry thing?” the wolf couldn’t help the harmless-ish growl that left his throat at being called a furry. He’d had enough of that with Stiles and Wes sure as hell wasn’t allowed to call him that.

“Okay, yeah, you are like him,” the woman deadpanned flatly.

“Did he just growl!?” the father yelled and Derek looked over to see the fear and shock in his face, it would’ve been comical if ‘furry’ hadn’t been brought into the conversation.

\----------

It took, both, the mother and Wes to calm the man down enough for the wolf to explain himself and calmly _show_ the man what he was, again the kid was so excited and awed by his shifting and the mother was cautious and wary, like she wasn’t that fond of it, or never liked it, maybe something happened and she disliked his kind or something.

“So... cousins, huh?” Wes piped up happily as he dropped to sit on the sofa with him and Braeden. Derek had to admit that he was happy about it, that he still had family and that this kid was a part of it, besides all the death and stuff. Hopefully, none of that would magnetize to them because the wolf was there. _Touch-wood_.

“Yeah,” he smiled tensely, not really knowing what to say. “I-uh... I never completely expected it,” because that was true. He didn’t. He didn’t even think about it until Malia mentioned it.

“Dude, I didn’t think I could have a walking werewolf copy of myself, let alone be related. This is seriously awesome!”

“Huge case of coincidence,” he added, smiling at the kid. It was awesome, he’d agree there, but like most good endings, he and Braeden had to get going. He stood from the chair, Wes and Braeden doing the same. “It was a pleasure meeting you, Wes,” Derek said fondly and reached out a hand, instead being tackled for a hug like the mother had done before, but his was tighter, more brotherly. The wolf only hesitated a little before returning the embrace, scoffing a little and patting him on the back.

“It was awesome meeting you too, man,” he pulled back while beaming at him. “I’ll see you again?” he asked as they started walking towards the main hallway to the front door.

“Definitely, see you around... cousin,” he beamed back and opened the door, Braeden walking out first and him following.

“See you, Derek,” he called from the front door frame as they hopped into the car, the two waving as his partner revved and left the spot, driving down the street and the house was out of sight.

“You’re gonna miss him,” she stated, and he didn’t say a word, silently admitting that, yes, he was going to miss the kid. He had a few Stiles moments that irked him, but yeah, he’d miss him. And the others’... he had a family, or, sort of anyway, he still had some left, even if they knew nothing about him. He had a family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope ya'll enjoyed this story :)

**Author's Note:**

> The movie, Grizzly Rage, was actually slatted, but I thought that it was pretty good for a low budget film. :) I may watch it a few times, especially now that I know Tyler Hoechlin is a main character in it :)


End file.
